The tragedy of Cloud Strife
by Lord Noctis
Summary: Sephiroth is back, and Cloud must once again fight him for the fate of the planet, but is he really strong enough, or is he doomed to fall short, and let the world fall to darkness?


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**THE FINAL BATTLE**

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Kadaj clung tight to the crumbling building from which he hung. He cursed Cloud Strife, he had done everything in his power to kill the man and still failed. He had gone all out, using every reserve of strength available to him, but he was to

weak. He glanced behind him and groaned as he watched his sword spiral away towards the ground thousands of feet below. Despair filled him as he realized the horrible truth before him, he had failed his mother, Cloud had won. But wait, he looked to the box in his hand as new hope flooded through him, he still had a chacne, even if he had to sacrifice himself he would gladly do it for mother.

He looked up suddenly as he heard a thud above him to see Cloud Strife, sword held over Kadaj's head with an unreadable expression on his face. So close, Kadaj thought, bu Cloud surely had him now. Cloud slowly lowered the First Tsurugi

towards the exhausted youth who was quickly formulating a desperate final plan, his last chance to fulfill his mothers will. He tossed the box containing her remains away from the building briefly distracting Cloud giving the silver haired outh the chance to spring away from the building and grab the box, flinging the lid away. Cloud's expression turned to one of alarm as he watched his foe pull Jenova's remains from the box.

Green catlike eyes turned on Cloud as Kadaj said "My reunion, bet your dying to watch!" Horror filled Cloud's face as he realized what Kadaj was going to do, and he leapt off the building preparing his blade for a deadly strike as fear flooded

through him. Kadaj offered a smirk, then shoved the remains into his chest causing them to begin mergin with his body. He cried out in sudden agony as his body began rearanging itself into a new body even as it stopped falling and instead glided

onto the building below him.

Cloud brought his blade over his head and swung as fast as he could at his foe who lifted his hands as he went silent. The First Tsurugi should have cleaved through Kadaj, slicing him in half head from toe, but instead it stopped with a resounding

clang mere inches from Kadaj's head, except it wasn't Kadaj's head anymore. The face was paler and more mature, the hair had lengthened to the waist. He now wore a black trench coat buttoned at the top to give it a cape look, black leather pants and boots, gloves too along with those unique white shoulder guards. Cloud felt fear but turned his eyes downwards towards the face, hoping that he would not see the face that haunted his dreams and dominated his nightmares.

In a flash of green fire a 7 1/2 foot long blade formed between this mans head and Cloud's massive sword. He looked up with unblinking green catlike eyes that held an unnatural glow within. Cloud felt despair then, like he had felt on the day his

hometown was destroyed.

Then the man spoke. "Good to see you. Cloud." Cloud's worst fears were confirmed, Sephiroth was here. The one-winged-angel suddenly spun around bringing the Masamune in an ark for Cloud's body, but the blond was able to turn the First

Tsurugi into the path of the blow saving his life, but the force of the blow sent him hurtling hundreds of feet into the sky in mere seconds, seeing little choice he shifted his weight to land on roof of one the tall buildings that once covered all of Midgar, the heart of the fallen Shinra empire. He stumbled when he landed but quickly righted himself knowing that his nemesis could strike at any moment without warning. He looked over and watched as the man he so despised lifted through the

air and over the top of the building and over Cloud landing on a somewhat higher ledge with such grace that Cloud would have been in awe of it had he not been so terrified right now.

"Your geostigma is gone?" Sephiroth said as he looked at Cloud's left arm, which until a few hours ago had been covered in the black substance produced by geostigma. Cloud gave no anwser but just glared at Sephiroth, who casually remarled

"Thats to bad."

"Sephiroth, what do you want?" Cloud asked of the menace before him.

Sephiroth looked toward the sky as he said "The last thoughts of geostigma's death. Those souls will join with lifestream and girdle the planet choking it, corroding it." Now he turned his gaze back towards Cloud as he continued to speak in

that infuriating drawl. "What i want Cloud, is to sail the darkness of the cosmos with this planet as my vessel. Just as my mother did long ago." Now he lifted his hand into the air, and dark clouds swirled through the sky above them causing the world to go dark as tendrils of Sephiroth's negative lifestream, the last thoughts of geostigmas death. "Then one day we'll find a new planet, and on its soil we'll create a shining future." Sephiroth said lowering his arm to his side.

Cloud swung his blade knowing that the fight would soon start. "What abou this planet!?" Cloud demanded, knowing that regardless of what the anwser was, this was where the final battle would begin.

A mocking edge filled Sephiroth's voice as he said "Well, thats up to you, Cloud."

The blonds eyes narrowed in confusion but he had no time to contemplate these words, for in that instant a flash of lightning filled the air and Sephiroth charged, and Cloud jumped forward to meet him. But as he sailed through the air he could

feel the raw power this man he now faced possesed, a power so great that even the planet feared it. Cloud had no chance and he knew it, even with all his friends help he would barely be able to pull it off, alone he was hopeless. He brought the First Tsurugi up to guard his chest anyway, determined to make Sephiroth work for every inch of ground, for evey hit scored. Cloud intended to go down fighting. The two blades met with a fierce clash as both fighters were pushed towards each

by momentum suspending both of them in mid air, then a vicious smirk crossed Sephiroth's face as he shoved and Cloud was flung back like a rag doll slamming his feet into the roof and sliding to a halt as Sephiroth came down upon him.

Cloud jumped forward with a diagonal slash which Sephiroth turned aside with ease before turning his blade and lunging forcing Cloud to the side, Sephiroth whirling at the last second his cape flying out behind creating a terrifying sight, the sight

of a demon, Masamune meeting the Tsurugi sending Cloud crashing onto his back before quickly rolling to his feet and springing sideways while bringing his blade over his shoulder to guard against Masamune which knocked Cloud off balance with such ease that Cloud found it difficult to hang onto the faint hope he had that he may win. Cloud changed direction and dashed while swinging his blade behind him forcing Sephiroth to change tactics, the silver haired man spun in front

of the blond swordsman whose eyes widened in fear at such speed and grace, then swung horizantally with the Masamune at Cloud who was barely able to turn his blade into the path of the attack then ducked to avoid the next swipe of the ridiculously long katana which nearly claimed his head. As Cloud came up he whirled slamming his blade into the Masamune as it flew for his face, but Sephiroth shoved back driving the First Tsurugi out of his way and continuing his attack on

the blond, who was a fraction of a second to late in turning away from the blow, causing the Masamune to bite into his side drawing blood.

"You have no hope, not for revenge or survival or for salvation. You will die here knowing you failed, but don't worry for i shall send your friends to keep you company." Sephiroth said to his wounded prey even as Cloud swung veritcly for the

older mans skull, but the blow was met head on then turned aside forcing Cloud into a roll bringing him back to his feet and spinning around just barely turning aside the Masamune as it lunged for his chest. But Cloud knew it was a lost cause, Sephiroth was to strong and to fast. Moreso than the last time they fought. Cloud went into a quick dodgeroll to avoid a head shot and try to gain some breathing room but Sephiroth moved with him so perfectlyt that Cloud wondered if maybe

the one-winged-angel somehow knew what he would do before he did it. Cloud turned with a horizontal strike desperate to drive Sephiroth back but the man stopped the hit like it was nothing, then sidestepped caugin Cloud to stumble past him. Cloud twisted and swung horizontally but Sephiroth parried the blow with ease. Cloud quickly turned his sword and shifted his weight going into a diagonal slash forcing Sephiroth to place one foot back to brace himself against the First

Tsurugi, sparks flew as Sephiroth shifted his hilt and forced Cloud's blade to the ground then backhanded him in the face sending him into a backwards roll.

"You know at first i thought of toying around with you, but that was how you won last time isn't it?" Sephiroth said mockingly as he flicked the Masamune at Cloud forcing him to backpedal bringing him to the very edge of the building, one more

step would result in a 3-5 thousand foot fall.

Cloud grimaced as he said "I've beaten yo twice before, i will succeed a third time!" That being said Cloud sprang into the air over Sephiroth and swung his blade downwards towards the Masamune, which Sephiroth was currently swinging at

him, the blades met with a spray of sparks sending Cloud hundreds of feet up into the air where he tumbled unable to control his movements. Sephiroth sailed up into the air and came around swinging his blade at Cloud who was barely able to block, but the impact sent him sailing hundreds of yards through the air towards the side of a building. Cloud's brain was whirling as he quickly formulated a plan, because he really needed a plan. He twisted and kicked off the side of the

building sailing right at Sephiroth bringing his sword over his shoulder at the one-winged-angel who swung his own sword to match, their blades met with a fierce impact but Sephiroth drove forward slamming Cloud into the building with enough force to stun him, then with a smirk he pulled his blade back and lunged for the blonds chest but Cloud twisted his blade smashing the two weapons together driving Masamune aside before allowing gravity to pull him onto a nearby windowseal

before smashing the window and leaping inside. Hopefully he would be able to make a stand there.

He had only a second to whirl around and raise his defense before Sephiroth was upon him with another quick, lethal, slash forcing Cloud deeper into the building. The one-winged-angel pursued attacking with light strokes that were just strong

enough to drive Cloud back. The blond sprang from wall to wall swinging his blade in a defensive pattern as he desperately tried to form some sort of plan to beat this guy. He was a bit slow on one block causing the long blade of Sephiroth graze his shoulder creating a shallow cut that only served to annoy Cloud, but he forced the pain from his mind and swung as hard as he could at his foe who met the attack, then retreated down another hall.

"Whats the matter Cloud?" Sephiroth's voice said, seeming to come from all directions at once. "Are you scared?" Sephiroth's hateful voice came again, causing Cloud to get a case of the shivers.

Cloud kept silent moving cautiously down the hall, through the building being careful to make no noise. Doing so could give away his location, he was hoping he would find Sephiroth before he found Cloud. Suddenly Sephiroth came around the corner ahead of him and sung with such ferocity that Cloud was forced to retreat backwards, causing the mighty swing to cleave through a support pillar lighting it on fire, then Cloud came in swinging his blade defensively meeting Sephiroth's

blade head on, before taking a swing of his own locking blades and pushing forward with all his might as he spat "I thought you weren't going to toy around!"

"I changed my mind." Sephiroth replied casually.

Cloud growled, then broke off his attack and sent a blade beam at Sephiroth distracting him long enough for the blond to smash through the wall and back out into the cold air outside the building, landing on a nearby roof. He looked around for

any sign of Sephiroth, but saw nothing of the man, but he heard the sound of footsteps behind him and whirled swinging his blade with all his might stopping it an inch short of his targets face. For it was not Sephiroth who had come from behind, but Tifa and the rest of AVALANCHE.

"Cloud are you alright!?" Tifa asked as she saw the blond mans wounds.

"I'm fine." Cloud said looking around for Sephiroth. Surely the man should have struck by now.

Tifa seemed releived, then concern flooded over her as she said "Wheres Sephiroth, we saw him fighting you."

"I don't know." Cloud admitted as he turned to face the building where he had been dueling the silver haired man only a minute ago, then he felt a horrible pain in his back and stomahe, amnd when he looked down he saw the tip of the masamune protruding from his stomache with blood dripping off of it.

He looked over his shoulder to see that AVALANCHE had vanished, and where Tifa had been was Sephiroth with a cruel smirk on his face. "Oh i'm sorry, that wasn't very nice of me was it?" Sephiroth taunted as he twisted the blade causing

Cloud to let out a groan of agony, then he ripped the blade out of Cloud who fell to one knee.

"You tricked me!" Cloud hissed as blood began to leak out of his mouth.

Sephiroth let out a laugh as he kicked Cloud's sword away. Cloud tried to stand but Sephiroth plunged the masamune through his back and into the roof, pinning Cloud there hopelessely.

"Cloud!!" Came a cry from the left, as the real Tifa rushed forward with a flying kick, the rest of the group right behind her. Sephiroth whirled around ignoring his own blade for the moment and dodged Tifa's kick as his hand snapped out grabbing

her by the throat, and the silver haired man lifted her off her feet.

"Tifa no." Cloud said weakly as more blood left his body. Cid came in with a hard thrust but Sephiroth caught the spear and yanked it away, then plunged it through Tifa's abdomen before throwing her onto the ground and smashing his palm

into Cid's chest throwing him backwards. Vincent and Barret came in with guns blazing but Sephiroth yanked the masamune out of Cloud's body and easily deflected the gun fire as he slowly advanced ont he group, a sinister smile on his face. Yuffie let out a cry of rage and rushed forward but he sidestepped and slashed her across the back knocking her to the ground with a cry of agony before he whirled bringing his blade around to slash Nanaki out of the air as the lion like creature

let out a fierce roar.

While this was going on Cloud dragged himself towards his blade with a grimace. Barret was to slow to react as Sephiroth came forward, slicing the big man in half as he tried to defend himself, Vincent unleashed a snarl of rage as he

transformed into Chaos and unleashed a wave of hell fire upon Sephiroth who blocked it with his sword. Cid came back Swinging hard with his fist, but Sephiroth grabbed him and swung him into the path of Chaos's attack which incinerated him instantly, the silver haired man letting out a maniacal laugh as he did. It was perfectly clear, without Cloud they had no chance.

Horrified by what he had done, Chaos turned back into Vincent who could only look in horror to where Cid had once stood, before Sephiroth decapitated him. Hearing a terrified chattering he turned to see Cait Sith having watched this.

Sephiroth smirked as his blade flicked out destroying the stuffed animal. "Now i've taken everything from you Cloud, your friends, your family, but i'm not done yet." Sephiroth said as he turned to where Cloud was struggling to his feet. "Next

i'm going to kill those two children, Marene and Denzel." Sephiroth said, cruely twisting each word, enjoying the broken look that had come over Cloud's face. Sephiroth smirked as he lifted into the air and flew towards the seventh heaven bar.

Cloud began to sob, his tears coming a an unstopable torrent as he stumbled over to Tifa, but she was already dead. "I failed, i failed i failed i failed..." Cloud's hopeless repitition of those two words soon turned into incoherrent sobbing as

he kneeled there, over the corpse of his child hood friend, the corpses of all his friends lying around him. Slowly the sobs faded as he looked up, a fiery determination in his eyes. He stood as easily as if he had never been hurt to begin with, and he ran for all he was worth for the seventh heaven bar. He knew he would be to late, but he intended to take that bastard with him no matter what.

When he arrived at the bar he found it just as he expected, engulfed in an inferno of fire with that hated man stnading there a look of pure amusement on his face as the blond man aproached.

"How does it feel to lose everything? Does it hurt? Does it make you angry? I'll bet it does." Sephiroth tuanted before bursting into that horrible mocking laugh of his. Never before had such a powerful rage ripped through Cloud, then what he

experienced at that moment, as he charged forward so fast that Sephiroth had no time to block or dodge, all he could do was gasp in shock and horror as the massive blade of the First Tsurugi tore through his chest, then with a roar of rage Cloud tore the blade through Sephiroth's side sending the silver haired man stumbling back, only the smallest piece of skin holding his body together. Blood poured from him like a waterfall, and he collapsed tot he ground with a wet thud.

Cloud watched the corpse for a moment before falling on his back, facing the sky as the dark lifestream faded, and sunlight once again poured down on everything. As his last breath escaped him, a single tear slid down his face.

**THE END**

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End file.
